I've always wanted to live and work in Asia, BUT I get the impression that they are a bit 'work crazy'. E.g. - 6 day week in Hong Kong, The company is no.1 priority (even before friends, family and beer) in Japan.

Meetings, extra curricular activities, forced over-time etc. etc.

As with many other 'ESL Teachers' I'm not in it for the money and am only really interested in breaking even if it means I have free time to travel and 'enjoy the new experience'. So was just wondering if this is always the case in such Countries as Japan, HK, Korea and if anyone has experience of working in more 'chilled out' Asian Countries.

I've always wanted to live and work in Asia, BUT I get the impression that they are a bit 'work crazy'. E.g. - 6 day week in Hong Kong, The company is no.1 priority (even before friends, family and beer) in Japan.

Meetings, extra curricular activities, forced over-time etc. etc.

As with many other 'ESL Teachers' I'm not in it for the money and am only really interested in breaking even if it means I have free time to travel and 'enjoy the new experience'. So was just wondering if this is always the case in such Countries as Japan, HK, Korea and if anyone has experience of working in more 'chilled out' Asian Countries.

Cheers.

I might have a day or two of experience working in ESL in Asia.

By and large, ESL teachers, work 5 days a week and have 2 days off.

The details should be specifically spelled out in your contract.

Typically, we are not expected to work like our "local" counterparts as you have suggested above. Meetings (during the work day) are part of the job but the rest of the worries are not.

6 days a week in Japan? Uh, where did you hear that? It's not true for many/most teaching situations.

You are willing to "live and work" in Japan. Good. This is not your home country, so you will have to adapt to the "work" part. If that means horrible things like meetings, I'm shocked to hear that you never had any where you are now. Pretty standard the world over, I think.

"Forced overtime"? Not usually for teachers. Again, it depends on the situation.

How about telling us your educational and work experience so we can evaluate whether you are eligible for something that will require more than entry level work?

It's not for everyone, but working (in particular) in a university in China can give you pretty minimal hours if you are not looking to save a ton of money (though you can save here, I save a lot more than I managed in the UK). Cost of living does not have to be too high, it depends on your habits.

University work doesn't pay amazingly, typically 5-7,000RMB/month. But for that you can work as little as 12 hours a week, maybe 3 half days. Hours generally range from 12-18/week. You are also likely to get 2.5 months off in summer and one in winter, which gives you time to travel (and if you have a decent contract and sign on for the next year, you should get summer pay). Throw in a free apartment and a sensible lifestyle/spending habits, and that should give you some time and cash to do some travelling in China and Asia generally.

As I said, China is not for everyone, and you need to do your research and look actively to find decent jobs and avoid getting shafted by shifty employers. But it can lead to an enjoyable and relaxing, if not hugely profitable, life.